Eye Twitching

Have you ever sat on a bus and had your eye start twitching uncontrolably? You may be afraid that your fellow passengers think you are  winking at them. Not to worry. while you might feel and fear the twitching. It is probably not very noticeable to others. What you are most likely having is LID  MYOKYMIA, a harmless but annoying and distracting, involuntary spasm of the eyelid.

Eye twitches which can affect either the upper or lower eyelid are usually nothing to be concerned about. Fatigue, stress, or too much caffeine can set them off, as can staring at a computer screen, television, or any other flickering light. The twitches may last for only a few seconds, may occur for several days at a time, or may come and go.

While usually benign, Lid Myokymia can be an early sign of Meige's Syndrome or Blepharospasm, with which it is often confused. With Blepharospasm, however, the eyelids repeatedly shut tight, rather than twitch. The eyes are also often irritated and very light-sensitive. And unlike Myokymia, untreated Blepharospasm can lead to severe vision impairment.

Quinine (in the form of tonic water with or without the gin) has long been used to stop eye twitches. If you do not like the taste, gently pressing the twitching spot may help, at least temporarily. In most cases, the twitching stops after a good night's sleep or when you become less stressed. (Interestingly, tonic water can also help relieve nighttime leg and foot cramps.)